Bitwarden scrubs 'Always free' and 'Inclusion' values from its site

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Bitwarden pricing and value shifts

  • Many see the removal of “Always free” and the tripling of some personal subscription prices (e.g., ~$10→$30/year) as a classic “rug pull” after VC funding.
  • Several say the price alone isn’t the issue; the quiet change in messaging and values (free tier de-emphasis, “Inclusion/Transparency” removed) undermines trust.
  • A minority argue the new prices are still reasonable and that charging more can support better product development.

Leadership change and private equity fears

  • The new CEO’s background in mergers, acquisitions, and private equity is widely interpreted as preparation for a sale.
  • Many draw parallels with LastPass’s decline after acquisition and expect similar “enshittification.”
  • Some expect Bitwarden to pivot harder to enterprise and profit maximization.

Open source, clients, and future compatibility

  • Bitwarden’s open-source nature and the existence of Vaultwarden are seen as partial safeguards, but:
    • Vaultwarden relies on Bitwarden’s official clients and protocol; people worry future client changes or license shifts could break interoperability.
    • While clients could be forked, app-store gatekeeping, maintenance burden, and trust/audit requirements are seen as serious obstacles.
    • It’s noted that Bitwarden requires contributor license agreements, so it can relicense its own code.

Self‑hosting vs. managed service

  • Many are considering or already using Vaultwarden or self-hosted Bitwarden, often behind VPNs like Tailscale.
  • Some push back: they don’t want to become backup/security admins for their most sensitive data.
  • There is demand for small-business/self-host tiers that are affordable, simple, and not easily rug-pulled.

Alternatives and tradeoffs

  • KeePass/KeePassXC (with Syncthing, Nextcloud, or cloud storage) are frequently suggested; pros: free, local control. Cons: sync conflicts, poor multi-user/team features, and clunky sharing.
  • Other options mentioned: Proton Pass (some positive experiences, recent audit cited), Passbolt (AGPL, good sharing but no free hosting), Pleasant Password Server, and proprietary managers like 1Password and Dashlane.
  • Some non-technical users or families still favor hosted services for ease and sharing; others resort to low-tech solutions like paper notebooks, acknowledging physical risks.